System for aerial pick-up from surface vessels



R. a. COTTON 2,778,611

Jan. 22, 1957 SYSTEM FOR AERIAL-PICK-UP FROM SURFACE VESSELS s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 19, 1951 INVENTOR Robert B. CO1 bow.

ATTORNEY Jan. 22, 1957 R. a, co'r'rofi 2,778,611

SYSTEM FOR AERIAL PICK-UP FROM SURFACE YBSSELS Filed Dec. 19, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Roberi- Col'i'bw.

ATTORNEY INVENTOR Jan. 22, 1957 B. co oN 2,778,611

SYSTEM FOR' AERIAL PICK-UP FROM SURFACE VESSEL-S Filed Dec. 19, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Ro beri B.COi'ioTL/.

ATTORNEY SYSTEM non AERIAL PICK-UP FROM SURFACE VESSELS Robert B. Cotton, Media, Pa., assignor, by rnesne assign- I ments, to All American Engineering Company, Wilmington, Del.,- a corporation of Delaware Application December 19, 1951, Serial No; 262,420 2 Claims. Cl. 258-11 The present invention rel-ates 'to air pick-up' systems and particularly to such systems for use at sea to' pick up efficien't air pick-up performance, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel ground, or in this particular case, a water based pick-up station made as a distinct unit separate and free of its mother ship.

7 Anotherobject is to provide a ground or water based station unit, which is readily portable and knocked down for packing in a kit when, when it is to be used, is quickly assembled for use.

Still another object is to provide 'a towable water based pick-up station.

A further object is to provide an air pick-up station with a towable floating surface and a novel mounting from the upper side of the surface for the pick-up poles and for a pick-up container tethered to the usual ground loop spread between the pick-up poles.

Yet "a further object is to provide a novel container for water air-pick-up use.

Still a further object is to provide a novel pick-up unit including the usual pick-up arm for mounting on the usual camera mount used on aircraft.

A further object is to provide a novel brake delay means for winch rotation control.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent as the invention is fully understood, the same resides in the novelty of construction, combination and arrangement of elements hereinafter described in detail and distinctly claimed in the appended claims.

The description should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the stern of a mother ship, a tow line and of one of the present inventive novel floating pick-up stations with 'an aircraft coming in for a pick-up.

Figure 2 is a side elevation with a fractional portion in cross section of the craft and a pick-up arm with its associ-ated pick-up line and pick-up drum unit.

Figure 3 is a cut-away view of the 'lower end of the usual pick-up arm hook, such as is shown in Patent 2,373,414, of Plummer, issued April 10, 1945.

Figure 4 is a side elevation view of a standard camera mount and of the novel pick-up unit adapted to wind out and in the pick-up line connected to the pick-up arm hook shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a front elevation view of the pick-up unit of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a cross section view of the novel air pick-up 2,778,611 l s ned J an. .22, 1957 2 a container and its pick-up bridle and its frangible base connecting strap. gure? is across section view taken along the line 7 5-7 of Figure 6. h

Figure 8 is a rear perspective view of one of the novel pream water or, ground stations showing the several 2 elements of the system associated therewith.

Figure 9'i s a View similar to Figure 8 showing the pick u'p arm liook release'd from the pick-'np'arin and in the act of picking up the pick-up container.

Figure 10 is a viewxof the. towed pickiup station in perspective showing the devicest i'ippe'd after a pick-up has just been made? f I Referring in detail to, the drawings in which like characters of reference designate like or similar elements, Figure 1 is a panoramic illustration showing a mother ship A, a towed pick-up station B, and an aircraft C coming in to make the pick-up; The mother ship has a tow line 10 connected to a tow bridle 11 suitably secured to each leading side edge of a floating base 12, The surface of base 12 is formed an upward curved nose 13 and a straight trailing end 14. Generally the surface is towed in a planning manner-and is relatively longer from the leading curved end to the trailing end than is wide. How'- ever, the surface to be towed is made sufiiciently wide to float in still water and to support a pick-up container 15.

This container is formed with a bail 16 to receive a frangible connection 17 at one end-and with a bridle 1 8 and connectingfastener '19 at its other end, see Figure 6. The frangible or breakable connection 17 is tethered to a suitable fastener 26 carriedby the uppersurface of "the base, surface 12.

Pick up p'ol I p 21', and 22 extend asparagus diverge outwardly hire from each of the side longitudinal edges of thebase surface-intermediate thee'nd's thereof, see Figures 8,- 9 and 101 The poles are made in sections, so as to be telescopic and for the purpose of providing a knockdown structure for stowing in a station pick-up kit, not shown. For example, each lower hollow section 23 and 24, respectively of each pole 21 and 22 are larger than each insertable top section 25 and 26, also each larger section has a mounting plate 23a and 24a respectively, screwed to the pick-up base 12. The small pole sections carry the usual pick-up pole flags 27 and 28 at their top ends and include pick-up loop clips 29 and 30. The pick-up loop 31 is releasably held by these clips as is known to the art. Also each lower pole section is formed with a set screw opening so each section receives a set screw 32 and 33, to permit the upper pole section to be raised and held at adjusted positions above the planing surface.

The container 15 is of a novel construction and comprises an inner hollow body formed by two telescoping sections 35 and 36. The section 35 is shown 'as the main body of the inner shells and the shell 36 serves as the top therefor. The shell sections 35 and 36 are confined in an envelop or bag 37 of material, such as canvas, plastic or the like and filled between the exterior shell walls and the interior bag walls with 'a mass of buoyant waterproof material, such as foamplastic 38.

The envelop 37 at the bottom carries the buckle or bail 16 and the top sides the towing bridle 18. This bridle is made of a synthetic plastic web or strap and such material has shock absorbing value, as it will stretch under load in proportion to tensile stress and absorb energy while so stretching.

As shown in Figure 6, the bridle 18 and fastener 19 connect to the usual air pick-up loop 31. This loop is shown in the process of a pick-up operation as the pick-up hook 40 normally on the pick-up arm 41 engages the loop strand stretched between the pick-up station poles 21 and 22. The hook 40 is tethered to the pick-up line 42 in an eyelet lug 43a in a manner similar to prior Patent 2,373,414, issued to Plummer, April 10, 1945, and assigned to the present invention assign'ee. As the pick-up aircraft causes the hook to pull forward on" the loop 31 the clips 29 and 30 release, see Figure 9, and the breakable strap, section17 breaks off of fastener 20. Y

The pick-up line 42 has one end attached to the body of the pick-up aircraft on a rotatable drum or winch 43, see Figures 4 and 5. The winch is mounted on the present used camera mount generally indicated by numeral 44 -with a transverse pivot pin 45 for the combinedpick-up .50 carried by a rock shaft 51 on an elongated handle 51a at substantially right angles to the said rock shaft. Connected between the end of the arm 50 and anchored to a side of the winch support 46 is a. coil spring 52, which normally pulls theibrake band tightly around the brake drum during air pick-up'operation.

The handle 51 is provided with a cam follower tab 53, see Figure 4, which rests on an eccentric cam 54 with a high part. The high part of the cam is to hold the brake released during, initial acceleration of the drum, and to prevent the effect of static brake friction, which is greater than dynamic friction. In operation the cam follower tab 53 carried by the handle 51 rests on the eccentric cam located on the winch thus keeping the brake off. As the winch begins to rotate, the tab falls off the cam causing the brake to be applied by the pull of the spring- 52 for the remaining part of the pick-up operation. An electric motor 55 serves to Wind in the pick-up line 42 in substantially the same manner as with the winch shown in the aforementioned Plummer Patent No. 2,373,414. Thus the eccentric cam 54 and follower 111g 53 provide a simple and eflicient brake retarder.

While the foregoing specification describes and the drawings illustrate the specific details of the invention, it is understood that the same is not limited by these details and is therefore susceptible to changes and modifications parture from'the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile water based station comprising a water planing member adapted to be towed by a craft on land or water, spaced poles having their lower ends connected to each side of the said member, fastener means attached to the upper ends of the poles, a rope detachably connecting said fastener means arranged in a loop, and a pick-up container connected to the said loop and tethered to the upper surface of said member by a breakable link.

2. A mobileground station comprising a Water planing base surface having an upward curved leading end and a trailing end, a tow bridle connected to said leading end, a pole diverging outwardly and upwardly from each side of the said surface, the end of each pole being adjustable with respect to the said surface, a flag attached to the end of each pole, a clip carried by each flag, loop of rope held by each flag clip between the ends of the poles, and a container connected to the lower end of the loop by a breakable link and resting on the top of the said surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,070,197 Snell Aug. 12, 1913 1,824,550 Jacobs et a1. Sept. 22, 1931 1,824,551 Jacobs et al. Sept. 22, 1931 2,364,598 Beddow Dec. 12, 1944 2,367,607 Plummer Jan. 16, 1945 2,402,574 Plummer June 25, 1946 2,402,919 Schultz et a1 June 25, 1946 2,418,478 Ott Apr. 8, 1947 2,437,372 Ballard Mar. 9, 1948 2,449,417 Schultz Sept. 14, 1948 2,488,538 Hoehn Nov. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 121,895 Australia Aug. 15, 1946 

